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Meet Nepal’s Natural Leaders: Women-led climate justice in action

Home 9 Our Work 9 Advocating for women-led climate justice 9 Meet Nepal’s Natural Leaders: Women-led climate justice in action

In my heart, I felt that I wanted to bring a change. So, I happily became a Natural Leader.”

— Bimala Gharti Rawal, Natural Leader

 

A woman wearing traditional clothing and beaded jewelry smiles outdoors, with a red tika on her forehead and green trees blurred in the background.
Across Nepal’s remote hills, sustainable change begins with women. Through the Natural Leaders program, Ipas Nepal trains local women to tackle two urgent, interconnected crises: climate change and barriers to reproductive health. These grassroots leaders educate, advocate and challenge harmful social norms—proving that when women lead, communities grow stronger, healthier and more resilient.

Helping their communities confront climate disasters and social norms that silence conversations around abortion and menstruation, their message is clear: This is our home. These are our lives. And we are not waiting for someone else to save us—we’re taking action here and now.

A person carrying a large basket on their back walks along a road at dusk, with trees and a guardrail in the background. Another figure stands further down the road. The scene is dimly lit with a blue twilight sky.

“Nothing about this has changed.”  In Baryala, near Kharkhola Bridge along the Jajarkot Road in Nepal, people—mostly women and girls—have been carrying water since their childhood. This burden is driven by unequal gender roles and inadequate infrastructure.

No roads. No water. No privacy.

Nepal ranks among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, and its unique geography is both stunning and fragile. Climate disasters—earthquakes, flash floods, and prolonged droughts—are hitting harder and more frequently. And with every crisis, existing inequities grow.

Roads to clinics wash away. Water sources run dry. Health centers are hours away by foot. In this terrain, something as normal as getting your period or needing contraceptive services can become a dangerous struggle for women and girls.

Natural Leader Chandra Kala Pun walks long distances over rugged terrain to reach her community—to lead educational sessions that deliver essential reproductive health information.

 

The Natural Leaders program is transforming communities across Nepal’s Karnali Province. Click an image for details.

A scenic mountain valley at sunset, with the sun partially hidden behind a mountain ridge, casting rays of light over a winding river and scattered villages below. Clouds and shadows fill the dramatic landscape.

View of the Jajarkot Hills across the Bheri River from Aathbiskot Municipality, Rukum West District, Nepal
A wide river winds through a lush, green valley surrounded by forested hills and distant mountains under a partly cloudy sky at dusk.

Jajarkot Road alongside Bheri River near the Bunge Khola Bridge,  Jajarkot District, Nepal.
A small village with colorful rooftops is nestled on a green hillside, surrounded by tall mountains under a clear blue sky.

Villages of the Banfikot Rural Municipality as seen from Banfikot Rural Municipality Office, Rukum West District, Nepal.
Aerial view of a winding river flowing through a hilly landscape with terraced fields, small clustered houses, a bridge crossing the river, and lush greenery surrounding the rural village.

On one side of the Bheri River (screen left) is Chisapani, Aathbiskot infamous for the landslide, and on the other side (screen right) is the location of Nalgad municipality- ward 1, where 14 people died in the Jajarkot earthquake. Chisapani, Aathbiskot Municipality, Rukum West District, Nepal.
Aerial view of a rural village with terraced fields, winding roads, scattered houses, and a river flowing through a sunlit, mountainous landscape.

Aathbiskot Municipal Hospital (a listed service provider providing safe abortion services) and Settlement, Aathbiskot Municipality, Rukum West District, Nepal.
A wide view of a mountainous landscape under a partly cloudy sky, with terraced hillsides, scattered greenery, a winding road, and a river flowing through the valley below.

View of Aathbiskot from Aathbiskot Municipal Hospital, Aathbiskot Municipality, Rukum West District, Nepal.
A woman in traditional clothing holds a smiling young child in front of a large, weathered tent set in a green rural area with trees and hills in the background.
Pictured: Bina KC Rokaya, who took part in community education sessions led by local Natural Leaders, stands with her son Manish outside the temporary shelter where she endured cold winter nights with her newborn following the November 2023 Jajarkot-Rukum earthquake.
“The earthquake… damaged our homes, drinking water sources, and toilets. We had to manage our lives outdoors for several days.” —Bina KC Rokaya, participant in a Natural Leader-led session
“Due to climate change, problems arise, especially for women and girls… Floods and landslides block roads, making it difficult for pregnant women to reach health posts… This has caused many problems for their health during critical times.” —Shristi Khadka, participant in a Natural Leader-led session
“If there’s flooding or landslides, it leads to water shortages… making it difficult to maintain proper hygiene and sanitation, especially for women during menstruation.”
—Sunita Saha Puri, Natural Leader
“We had to sleep in the same space… Changing clothes was tough with male relatives around. It was the same for the girls during menstruation… There were no pads, and other alternatives weren’t available… Thinking back, it still gives me chills.” —Shristi Khadka, participant in a Natural Leader-led session
In climate disasters, reproductive health is often overlooked—forcing women to face stigma just when they need to advocate for their care the most. Harmful gender norms and cultural traditions restrict open conversation about sexual and reproductive health. Women are judged for speaking out. Menstruation is still shrouded in shame.
Pictured: Natural Leader Himali Khatri with community members, including Sadhana Pandey Khatri (right) and Manisha Khatri (left) in Banfikot Rural Municipality (Ward 6), Rukum West District, Nepal.
Five women stand outdoors in a mountainous area, some wearing colorful traditional South Asian clothing and scarves, gathered around a wooden table, looking at a book and talking together under bright sunlight.
A woman in a pink dress stands smiling with her hands clasped, in front of a corrugated metal wall and an informational poster about reproductive justice and climate change.
Pictured: In the Rukum West District of Nepal, Natural Leader Sunita Saha Puri conducts a community education session in Samawesi Tole, Aathbiskot Municipality (Ward 11), using an Ipas-provided chart on the link between climate change and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
“In the community, when a woman speaks up, there’s a practice of people judging how much she speaks.” —Sunita Saha Puri, Natural Leader
“Our generation does not practice untouchability—but our mothers or mothers-in-law won’t agree… They argued, saying we were teaching wrong things to our daughters… that the deities will get angry. After five or six sessions, they began to realize…that even if the gods visit, they do not get angry about such things. And we supported the facilitators in this.” —Shristi Khadka, participant in a Natural Leader-led session
“In the villages, there were practices where women wouldn’t enter the kitchen or temple during menstruation… I explained this taboo and helped bring about a change.”

—Himali Khatri, Natural Leader

Three women stand outdoors on a sunny day, with one older woman in a blue headscarf and floral sweater showing a book or pamphlet to two women dressed in red garments, their backs facing the camera.

Natural Leader Himali Khatri handing informational  brochures on safe abortion centers and family planning devices to community women in Banfikot Rural Municipality (Ward 6), Rukum West District, Nepal.

Local women, lasting impact

Natural Leaders aren’t outsiders, they’re local women driving change from within. With support from Ipas Nepal, they lead sessions on safe abortion, climate resilience, family planning and gender-based violence—building trust through lived experience and shifting norms in their own communities.

“We used to burn plastic waste. Now we’ve taught people to compost biodegradable waste and plant trees. Wildfires have decreased. Families are safer.”

—Sunita Saha Puri, Natural Leader

A woman in a red patterned sweater and bright yellow-green scarf smiles in front of a building with a sign and window. The sign has text in Nepali and displays colorful logos.

Natural Leaders are stopping child marriage, guiding people to certified health facilities, and challenging long-held taboos.

“Before, people didn’t even talk about safe abortion. Now, they ask us to come back and teach more. [They say] ‘We didn’t know this before… You’ve brought something very good to us.’” —Himali Khatri, Natural Leader
A woman in a floral dress and printed scarf sits outdoors in sunlight, looking thoughtful. Several people are seated in the blurred background, with mountains faintly visible.
A woman in a purple outfit stands smiling and holding a phone, with a group of seated women behind her in front of a white building. A pole with a coiled snake decorates the foreground.

And perhaps most importantly, Natural Leaders are encouraging others to stand with them, speak out, and act.

“Over time, they started seeing the value… Now they ask, ‘Why don’t you come more often?’” —Bimala Gharti Rawal, Natural Leader
“I would like to encourage [other women] to go ahead… Don’t give up your rights. Stand firm and move forward…women are more capable of moving forward and speaking up than before… but we still face challenges.” —Sunita Saha Puri, Natural Leader
“After learning about it, we’ve started sharing this information with others. We will reach out to the ward office and request enough water supply. We’ve been thinking of constructing bathrooms so girls feel safe and can manage hygiene at home… Many women are now agreeing this is the best approach.” —Indira Rawal and Shristi Khadka, participants in Natural Leader-led sessions
“I would encourage women and girls to come forward and spread awareness… My message to those who can do the work I do? Please join… If there are two of us instead of one, we can teach two things instead of one.” —Himali Khatri, Natural Leader
In villages once defined by silence and struggle, there is now movement, connection—and joy.
“Women say, ‘We didn’t know this before. Now we feel seen.’” —Himali Khatri, Natural Leader
“Yes, there are challenges, but things are getting better. Sometimes women and girls do not understand, and then they ask. I explain things to them while visiting them in their villages. Tell them about the available services.” —Chandra Kala Pun, Natural Leader
“We’ve stopped sending menstruating girls outside the house. That change came from these sessions.” —Bimala Gharti Rawal, Natural Leader
Pictured: Natural Leader, Chandra Kala Pun discussing the reproductive health and rights of elderly women with Buddhi Pun in Karki Gaun, Chhedagad Municipality, Jajarkot District, Nepal.
Two women in colorful traditional clothing sit on the grass outdoors, one elderly wearing glasses and a red headscarf, the other younger with long hair and a red scarf, both smiling. Greenery and trees in the background.
Two women in colorful clothing smile and stand together outdoors, surrounded by other people. The background features greenery, mountains, and bright sunlight, creating a lively, cheerful atmosphere.
Community members participating in a reproductive health education session led by a Natural Leader.

From one village to many: A model ready to expand

The Natural Leaders program is transforming communities across Nepal’s Karnali Province, where it was launched. In eight municipalities, including Aathbiskot, Chhedagad, Dalli, and Nalgad, local women are leading the charge on climate resilience and reproductive health. Backed by Ipas Nepal, these grassroots leaders are already making a measurable impact—and with additional support, the program is ready to expand, reaching more communities with solutions rooted in local strength and leadership.

40 women trained and active across eight municipalities

  • Organizing communities to prevent wildfires and reforest hillsides
  • Showing girls and women how to access safe abortion and family planning
  • Dismantling menstruation stigma through open, honest dialogue
  • Advancing local policy discussions on gender equity and climate resilience

 

Three people stand indoors, with one woman in a patterned saree pointing at a large chart on the wall while the other two observe. The room has blue walls, a window, and a bench.
Natural Leader, Sunita Saha Puri discussing plans to improve the quality of safe abortion services with Prem Rokaya (Coordinator, Health Section, on screen left) and Lakshya Pun Magar (Social Mobilizer, Aathbiskot, PASS-Nepal, on screen right). Health Section of Aathbiskot Municipality, Rukum West District, Nepal.
A woman wearing glasses and a blue jacket stands indoors by a window, holding notebooks. She looks outside with a thoughtful expression. The room has pink walls and decorative iron bars on the window.

With greater investment, these grassroots solutions can grow—and bring lasting change far beyond Karnali Province.

“If the local government works with us, we can do even more.” —Nirmala Bhandari, Provincial Coordinator, Ipas Nepal
“Women are leading the way in climate resilience and reproductive justice. With more support, we can scale these solutions and ensure no one is left behind.” —Sunita Saha Puri, Natural Leader
“I also request you to continue bringing these programs. If the programs last for a longer time, we believe it will make life easier for us in the future.” —Shristi Khadka, participant in a Natural Leader-led session
Pictured: Nirmala Bhandari, Provincial Coordinator for Ipas Nepal, connects Natural Leaders with policymakers, ensures strong training and support systems, and champions sustainable, community-driven health solutions.

This is what sustainable climate resilience looks like when it’s rooted in care, knowledge and community.

Learn more about the power of women-led climate justice.